| Grant number: | 07/03405-0 |
| Support Opportunities: | Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation |
| Start date: | August 01, 2007 |
| End date: | July 31, 2008 |
| Field of knowledge: | Biological Sciences - Ecology - Ecosystems Ecology |
| Principal Investigator: | Marco Aurelio Ribeiro de Mello |
| Grantee: | Patrícia Kerches Rogeri |
| Host Institution: | Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde (CCBS). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil |
Abstract Seed dispersal is considered a kind of mutualism between free-living organisms. Benefits for animals are well-understood; however advantages for plants are not so evident. In the present study I want to the test the “directed dispersal hypothesis”, which is based on the foraging behavior of frugivores, and implicates in the deposition of seeds preferentially in “safe sites”. Bats of the family Phyllostomidae are excellent study models in this context, because they comprise subfamilies of specialist and opportunist frugivores. Therefore, this project aims to answer whether specialist frugivorous bats exhibit perform directed dispersal. Animals will be captured, marked with radio-transmitters and monitored, in order to locate nuclear areas of roosting and foraging, and also day and night roosts. Besides, I will analyze the places where night roosts are located, in order to test if they have a higher density of seedlings of different species and a higher concentration of nutrients, if compared to random points. I expect to observe that specialist frugivores carry seeds preferentially to night roosts that function as safe sites, thus increasing their chance of germination and establishment. | |
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